Afterwards
by the-scary-girl-next-door
Summary: The third task is over. The war has begun. Harry wants Cedric. And Cedric wants Harry. Why are they not together then? AU with noncedric death ONESHOT turned into a mutichaptered fic!
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone. This fic was written on lj but i have decided to post it on here. This was written for a challenge.

I'm sorry if you do not approve of the pairing in this fic it is my personal prefereance. Please no flames but comments are love!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything if i did this would be canon!

WARNINGS: CONTAINS SLASH AND REFERENCE TO ABUSE ,SLIGHT FLUFF AND AU!

**kerriex-x-x-x-x**

* * *

"Harry! Harry!"

"What sorry?"

Hermione sighed "I was telling you that Draco Malfoy was bragging this morning at breakfast about how you, Cedric, Rodger Davis and him had all taken "House unity " to a new level the other night."

"Mmm… Properly the first time he's ever got laid that's why."

The two friends were silent for a moment both in deep though.

After a while Hermione spoke. "Have you spoken to Cedric?"

"Nope anyway how are you and Fleur getting on?"

"Harry don't change the subject."

"I'm not."

"He'd like to see you- Cedric I mean."

"Hermione his father just died I doubt he's thinking about me at the moment."

"He was asking after you. Go and find him"

He shook his head. "It's not as easy as that."

"Harry I saw the way you were when the portkey reappeared. The way you were holding each other. You kissed him. Don't think I didn't see it 'cause I did. The way he refused to be parted from you. He was screaming your name all the way back up to the castle."

"He'd just seen Voldemort come back to life ,kill his father before his eyes and had been tortured by death eaters. I don't think he was sane at that moment in time." Harry Corrected her.

"Harry-"

"Drop it"

"But-"

"Just leave it."

"I'm going to find Fleur."

"You do that."

She got up and left the table leaving Harry alone in the dusty library with only his own thoughts to keep him company.

It was evening.

Harry didn't know where he was going, he let his feet make that decision for him all he knew was he had to get out of the castle away from all the hustle and bustle and the prying questions that accompanied them .

"Harry?"

It was too late to pretend he didn't hear the voice. "Cedric."

"I wanted to speak to you sooner but- well Mother's been quite... Upset."

"Not surprising how about you?"

"What about me?"

"How are you coping?" They were both walking together now and for a moment Harry had the sudden urge to grab his hand.

"Well I must say it's different without him."

He nodded trying to push his feelings for Cedric aside.

"I mean he was never a real father to me. All this." the boy waved his hand "Was for show." A bitter smile seemed to play on his lips. "A real father would never do the things he did to a son."

"Cedric-"

"Sorry."

"Does… Does your mother know?"

"No, it would break her heart. Might as well let sleeping dogs lie."

They walked in silence content in each others company.

"When Voldemort shot that Curse at you and you … You fell. I was more upset that when he died."

Harry didn't know what to say to this.

" When I thought you were dead and that I'd never have a chance to tell you... Harry…" He had stopped walking now. "That…"

"Cedric please don't maker harder than this already is…"

"I can't stop thinking about you. I don't want to feel this way- God , I tried to stop. But I seem to think of you more and more. About you and me, how we are, how I want us to be, what I want us to do…"

Harry felt sunned, yes he'd been thinking about Cedric but never thought he might feel the same.

Cedric lent in a kissed Harry.

At first he didn't know how to react . Harry wanted to stop , to walk away , but then he seemed to be pulled into the kiss. He found himself responding, deepening it running his hand though Cedrics hair. Harry was filled with a lust, a passion, a yearning - a love that he had never felt before.

They broke apart for air. "Come on, this way if Filch catches us…"

"Cedric I don't think I can do this."

"Fine." the boy began walk away.

"Cedric!" Harry ran after him and kissed him again.

"Come on." the boy said roughly.

"Where are we going."

"The Prefects Bathroom where else?"


	2. Chapter 2

**DAMN IT I HATE YOU GUYS (not really) arrgh! This my lovvies was a ONESHOT! But you guys are so persistant. So here you go "Afterwards" Chapter 2**

Harry couldn't sleep. He kept turning over everything that had happened in his head. What had happened last night was a mistake. It had to be. Emotions were running high, that's all, nothing more. I mean, Harry told himself, he didn't like Cedric like that. He wasn't gay.

He had woken up arm in arm with Cedric in the lukewarm bath, his skin starting to go blue and goose pimples starting to appear. The half moon shone through the stained glass windows onto the bath. And he looked perfect - Cedric.

Something inside Harry told him to panic - to run. And he did. And that was why Harry was here back in the Gryffindor fourth year boys' dormitory, looking up at the red velvet canopy, trying in vain to sleep.

I mean, what he felt last night - or thought he felt was wrong. Him and Cedric were (are?)- well, damn it! _There is no "Me and Cedric"_, Harry thought bitterly.

He continued speaking to himself. He wasn't gay, he repeated. How could he be? For Merlin's sake (Harry found himself suddenly angry), he had been trying to get closer to Cho all year. _But , _interrupted a nagging voice inside his head_. What if he was trying, in fact, to get closer to Cedric? _Harry shook his head, making his scar prickle…

----

For the next few days Harry managed to stay as far away from Cedric as possible. It wasn't hard. Maybe Cedric, like himself, felt misgivings about what had happened maybe-

"Hey! Potter!" Harry was knocked out of his train of thoughts by Draco Malfoy ambling up to him.

"How about a replay of the other night, Potter?" he asked cockily.

"Right," Harry answered not caring. "You round up the others and…"

"I was thinking," Malfoy said, a blush rising in his cheeks (Malfoy blushing?) "Maybe this time it could just be you and me."

"Oh so you have finally decided that you _are_ gay after all." Harry spoke deliberately loudly so that several people stopped to look at them. If possible Malfoy turned even redder and strode away without a backward glance at Harry.

Harry smiled to himself. He knew really that he shouldn't have done that. Malfoy had looked embarrassed enough as it was. And at least he had the balls to admit he _was _gay. Unlike himself…

Harry was in so much deep thought that he didn't notice he was about to walk into someone.

"Woah!"

_You guessed it_, Harry said to himself. _Cedric_. _It__'s the oldest bloody cliché in the book!_

"Cedric." Harry addressed him curtly, averting his eyes.

"Cut the bloody introductions. Where did you get to the other night?" he asked rudely.

"I …I had second thoughts." He didn't know what to say. _'Sorry Cedric, I'm not sure about my sexuality after all…' _Yeah as if!

"Second thoughts?" The boy repeated with a frown. Harry found himself looking at the tiny details of Cedric's face; the small wrinkles forming at the corner of his eyes . "Harry, you and I—"

"Cedric," Harry painfully broke eye contact and stared at the wall directly over Cedric's left shoulder.

"I'm sorry if you expected anything more. But… well the other night. It was a mistake."

"No it wasn't—Harry?"

But Harry had turned quickly.

"DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME, HARRY POTTER! I KNOW YOU FELT IT TOO!" Cedric called after him, his voice echoing off the stone corridors and ringing in Harry's ears. He rushed along through a tapestry and out of sight, tears prickling at his eyes as he went.

---

Harry didn't see Cedric again. As the school year drew to an agonizing close, Harry found himself returning to more pressing matters: the Dursleys.

Going back to Privet drive didn't seem a much safer option that walking down Knockturn Alley at night, but it had to be better than the uncomfortable feeling that accompanied him at Hogwarts.

At least, Harry told himself when he returned to Hogwarts, Cedric (who would be in his last year) would hopefully have forgotten everything.

---

When the last day of term arrived Harry found himself dragging his trunk down into the entrance hall. Several minutes later, Hermione emerged from the grounds, tears twinkling on her face in the weak summer sun.

"I just saw Fleur off." She explained with a sad smile wiping the tears off her face with the sleeve of her robes. "Look, there's Ron." Harry pointed in the direction of a red head bobbing in the sea of students milling around.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"Saying goodbye to Victor."

"So it's _Victor_ now, is it?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrow mischievously .

Harry felt so much better, he felt like he had no worries….

Ron kept insisting all the way down to Hogsmeade Station that his friendship with Krum (he had reverted to using his last name) was just that - a friendship. ("I'm as straight as Harry's Broomstick.")

The three settled themselves into an empty compartment and let themselves once more speed through the countryside, south towards Kings Cross.

---

Harry stepped gingerly onto the platform some time later, looking for Ron and Hermione. He couldn't see them. Odd. Shrugging to himself, he started to heave his trunk onto the platform beside him.

"Harry?" Harry turned around mid-tug at the sound of his name. Cedric stood right before him, but before Harry could really think of any thoughts beside "bugger", the trunk suddenly slipped from the train and fell with a loud _THUMP_ on his foot.

Without turning to look at Cedric again, Harry lifted the trunk off his foot and onto one of the station trolleys. That was smooth, Potter.

"Harry?" Cedric repeated. He didn't answer. "Listen, we're not going to see each other for a while."_ It seemed very rehearsed what he was saying_, Harry thought, as he started to pull the trolley across the platform away from Cedric.

Suddenly the trolley jammed. Cedric had stuck his foot in font of the wheel. "You **will** listen to me." He took a deep breath, Harry wasn't sure whether it was anger that had gripped his features or fear. "I wasn't sure that night either." It was a statement. "I've been thinking and thinking. Damn it, ever since the night my father died I've done nothing but think and I keep coming up to the same bloody conclusion. I'm sorry I can't be like you-" he stopped for a moment "-and forget everything and walk away. But I just need to be sure. And then if…if you still insist … that…" He faltered again.

Harry couldn't move. He felt rooted to the spot. Clinging onto Cedric's every word. Trying to move seemed like such a hard feat, something utterly impossible.

"And if that's the case, I'll leave you be. I won't forget! Merlin! I'll never forget. But I'll let you be. But Harry, you understand that I need to be sure, don't you?" He ended in a whisper, tears sparkling in his hazel eyes, threatening to fall onto his soft, lovely cheeks…

Harry shook his head clearing his mind; but Cedric seemed to take this as Harry's acceptance because the next thing he knew was that he and Cedric were kissing…

He didn't know how to feel. Bliss. That all he knew. He was in the white light. But all too soon for his liking, it ended.

"Tell me you don't feel it?" Harry could feel Cedric's breath hit his face. He shook his head again. No, it couldn't be…

But it was.

"Yes," he whispered, dotting kisses on Cedric's neck.

He had tried so long to deny it. But really, Harry knew, deep down in a part of him that remained hidden from everyone. He knew. And when they kissed that part of him burst open filling every cell of his existence.

Smiling Cedric took hold of Harry's hand.

Together the two boys walk through the platform. Past the staring students and their parents ("Is that Harry Potter with that boy?") Past Hermione who was grinning from ear to ear. And together they walked through the barrier dividing the magical platform from the rest of the world.

----

**No really I love you all. I'm glad you liked the first chapter so much and sorry for the long wait. Big it up to all the Cedric/Harry shipper out there MUCH RESPECT! **

**If you like this (and aren't put off by me being rather weird) then send me a comment please. As I'm a comment whore. **

**Kerrie x-x-x-x**


	3. Chapter 3

Afterwards 3

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HARRY OR HIS WORLD. Any direct quotes are from "Order of the Phoenix" and are not my own - they belong solely to JK Rowling- some parts have been changed to suit the purpose of my plot.**

"Ahh, Harry, how nice of you to join us for this little… get together."

The Death Eaters that suddenly surrounded him tittered with laughter, all except Peter Pettigrew who continued to cradle his stump of bloody arm.

"And you brought a friend too."

With his outstretched, pale bony fingers Voldemort gently brushed them against Cedric's cheek. Harry turned away, disgusted, fear heating up his insides, and he looked down on the gash on his hand and the blood… the blood that was now _his _blood too… How was it possible? They were in the maze a few minutes ago… And now they were here in … in a graveyard?

"It's a shame I couldn't book a better venue." Smiling, he continued, "But I'm sorry you don't have an invitation." Harry could hear the mummer of laughter from the hooded figures again. "So I am afraid -" his hand caressed his wand "-that you'll have to go.

"Which one should I kill first?" He bent closer to Cedric. "You two can decide, but either way, _I win." _

As he spoke the last words, his face turned away from Cedric's scarlet eyes locking with Harry's and they seem to sparkle.

"Hmm? So who will it be?"

Silence.

"Well, maybe you just need a bit of pain to loosen your tongues."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth pain racked through Harry's body. He fell to the ground withering in pain, every fibre of his being was screaming. _Let him kill me,_ Harry thought, _I'd rather have death._

And then it stopped. Spots appeared in front of his eyes. All Harry could hear was Voldemort's laughter, bitter, but happy all the same.

"YOU BASTARD!" Cedric yelled. One of the Death Eaters grabbed him suddenly from behind. Struggling, he shouted again, "YOU-"

"Enough," Voldemort cut him off, his wand now pointed at Cedric's chest.

"NO!" Someone screamed suddenly. The Death Eater who had been holding Cedric released him and stood in front of him- as if to protect him.

"No?" Voldemort asked, his mouth stretched once more into that abnormal smile of his. "Take off your mask," he hissed. The Death Eater didn't move. "TAKE IT OFF!" Harry's eyes stayed fixed on the Death Eater. He couldn't move.

And then the face of Amos Diggory was revealed….

A tapping noise made Harry jerk. He was shivering, sweat plastered his hair to his forehead and his scar prickled with delight. It took him a moment to work out where the noise was coming from. He crossed the bedroom slowly, still feeling shaken, and opened the window. A gush of cool night air reached his face making him shiver again, and a tawny owl hopped into Harry's bedroom. The owl stuck out his leg and Harry took off the piece of paper it was carrying. Hedwig hooted with contempt and ruffled her features as the tawny perched alongside her.

_Harry,_

_I'm in Italy at the moment and not likely to return any time soon. Mother's at her worst. She can't cope with it all. She actually snapped her wand in two last night-- sometimes I feel like telling her, telling her everything. But I can't. She doesn't want me to go back to Hogwarts on September 1st, but I will .I miss you too much not to come back. This is my last year and it's going to be the best one yet- for both of us._

_Love Cedric _

Harry read the letter through twice. A feeling in his gut told him Cedric wouldn't be coming back. Harry didn't know how he felt about this, maybe it was for the best after all….

Harry lay in between Aunt Petunia dying Begonia's listening rather absentmindedly to the news. The smoldering sun was giving off one final burst of heat before night descended on Privet Drive. His mind was still on Cedric's letter, he couldn't help thinking about the last time they had seen each other and how utterly invincible he felt. But, he told himself firmly, it's no good brooding over him - you've got bigger fish to fry now. And with that comforting notion Harry turned his attention once more to the news.

"Dudders out for tea?" his Uncles' voice drifted out of the open window blocking out the sounds of the news.

"At the Polkisses.'"

Harry knew for a fact this was a lie and that "Big D" was most likely screwing some tart from Wisteria Walk and had to suppress a snort of amusement.

"_Record numbers of stranded holiday makers fill airports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week."_

If only something would happen, Harry told himself. No one seemed to care that Harry had to resort to crouching in a flowerbed just to hear the news. It was fine for Cedric to go flying off to Italy, to say his mother needed him - what about Harry? Didn't he himself need Cedric? No. Harry didn't need anyone. After all, he had had no news for Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione, it seemed , had forgotten all about him. And Sirius' letters were so repetitive (_be a good boy Harry, I know it's hard but you don't want to draw attention to yourself._) that Harry hardly glanced at the letters before ripping them up and throwing them away.

Then, something _did_ happen that not only shocked Harry but made him leap to his feet banging the top of his head on the open window. For what Harry had just heard - or rather _thought_ he had heard - was the familiar "CRACK" of someone disappearing. He pulled his wand quickly out of the waistband of his overly long jeans, but before he could make any move Uncle Vernon growled, _"Put-it-away NOW!"_

Harry said nothing in his defence, looked round widely hope thing to spot something out of the ordinary. No luck. He quickly stuffed his wand back into his waistband as his Uncle continued to glare at him maliciously.

"What the devil do you mean by it, boy?"

"What?" Harry asked, not paying any intention to his puce-faced Uncle.

"Practising your- your …" He didn't dare say the word: magic.

"I didn't do that. I was trying to listen to the news." Harry said quickly, cutting across his Uncle.

"_Listening to the news? _Is this some secret code? Because you know fool well boy that your lot-" Aunt Petunia gave her husband a quick glare and he continued in a whisper- "That your lot don't get onto our news."

Smiling, Harry said, "I wouldn't be so sure of that," thinking of the time Sirius had appeared on the television. Vernon and Petunia looked at the television set quickly as though it may contain a disease.

"Anyway, what are those owls doing if they're not carrying you news?"

Harry's smiled dropped. "They aren't carrying news."

"Then what are they carrying?"

"Porn," said Harry quickly, dashing away before his Uncles hands could reach around his neck.

Harry knew he would have to pay the price later for his little joke, but at the moment he didn't really care. What he did care about was the whip-like sound that had had shocked him so. But as he slowed to a walk he could find no sign of anything magical. Turning into Magnolia Crescent, Harry couldn't see anything. Perhaps he had imagined it after all. Jumping over the park gate Harry sat on one of the rusty swings thinking it all over- the odd noise, Cedric, Ron and Hermione, Amos Diggory - everything….

Harry didn't know what to think of the unmasked Death Eater. The man who had shook his hand so warmly at the Quidditch world cup. A Death Eater? No surly there had to be no mistake. Amos Diggory, Cedric's father? As that thought struck him, Harry looked quickly at Cedric - he was pale, eyes wide, face converted with the horror of it all.

"Cedric?" Amos asked, reaching out for his son. Cedric pulled his hand away sharply.

"Don't touch me," he spat.

"Son, I had to do what was right. What was right for us - you, me and your mother. I had to make sure you were safe." Cedric laughed and it sent a chill down Harry's spine.

"I'm sorry to have to break up such a _special _reunion, but," Voldemort pointed his wand once more a Cedric, "this boy will die, whether he is your son or not."

"No!" Harry and Cedric shouted at the same time. Amos stood motionless, looking at his own wand clutched loosely in his own hand.

"But he's on our side," he man whispered harshly, and then looking once more directly at Cedric - at his own son, he said, "Join us Ced, you weren't suppose to be here. You weren't supposed to know…"

Cedric shook his head slowly. No he wouldn't, and for that Harry knew he would die. As much as he hated the thought, as much as it repulsed him, he wished for Cedric to take his place alongside his father. _Don't be noble for me,_ Harry thought. _Don't die in vain._

"Kill him." Voldemort said quickly, scarlet eyes staring transfixed on Amos . "Kill him now."

Harry didn't know how long he had sat here, only that it was getting dark. The sound of voices had interrupted his thoughts. Of course he knew one of the voices, the one belonging to his obese cousin Dudley. A shrill gaggle of laughter signified that he was with one of many lady friends. Harry watched the two dark figures turning into Magnolia Road, the loud tapping sound of the girls' stiletto shoes echoing in the dark. Harry followed them.

"Same time tomorrow?" Dudley asked.

"I don't know why you just don't stay," the girl said sulkily.

Dudley whispered something that Harry couldn't catch and the girl giggled again.

"Naughty naughty. I'll see you tomorrow Big D." She kissed him, then disappeared into the darkness, the sound of her shoes fading as she went.

When Harry was sure that the girl was gone Harry shouted, "HEY! BIG D! WAIT UP."

The boy in question turned round. "Oh," he said when he saw it was Harry.

"Big D is it?" Harry asked, catching up with him quickly. "Well, you know what they say about men with big feet, Duds? And your feet are big if you compare them to that ten year old you beat up last week. But otherwise..."

Dudley cut him off abruptly, "He was not ten, and anyway, I didn't beat him up - it was a fair fight."

Harry smiled bitterly at Dudley's front. "Fair? I don't think 3 of your "friends" holding down a small and frightened ten year old while you beat him within an inch of his life is really fair …"

The boy muttered something that sounded like, "He was eyeing up my girl," and Harry laughed again.

"Shut up!" Dudley said. "Or we'll have to start talking about _Cedric._"

Harry stopped. "Who?" he said with mock surprise, but his insides were burning.

"The guy you were thinking of last night." Dudley grimaced. "The guy you walked out of that freaky barrier with. Don't think I didn't see him. Mum and Dad didn't but I'm not as stupid as I look."

"There's a surprise." Harry said quickly.

Dudley ignored him. "The guy who wrote 'love Cedric' at the end of his letters to you." At this, Harry snatched up his wand, something switched on inside him.

He pointed at his cousin, a look of absolute fury on his face.

"You're not allowed," Dudley said loudly, but his smile seemed to have dropped a notch or so.

"That's what you think." Dudley was back towards the wall of the ally but his eyes never left the wand clenched in Harry's arm.

"You'll… you'll get kicked out." Harry could feel his smile stretch into a mocking grin. "P-point that th-thing somewhere else." Harry wasn't listening.

"Don't you ever talk about things you don't understand." Involuntarily, he took a step towards the boy who was now practically sobbing in terror. "Ok?" he asked. Fat tears were now running down his face. "Ok?" Harry asked again louder this time.

Then it went dark. The thing inside Harry - the anger the seemed to have taken control of his body disappeared, curling up inside his stomach, red eyes closing- not sleeping but waiting to pounce again…

Harry fell to the ground, wand rolling from his hand as it clutched his scar, desperately wanting the pain to stop.

The stars were extinguished and an unseasonable icy wind swept over his body. "What have you done?" Harry heard Dudley speak as if through a blizzard. Mist rolled thickly across the floor.

Firstly Harry thought he had done something in his bout of anger without meaning to, but he knew almost at once that this wasn't the case. Dudley whimpered. "Shh." Harry cut him off, straining to listen.

"What?" Dudley started, but Harry didn't hear him- what he did hear repulsed him.

They weren't alone. Dementors. He scrambled around madly for his wand. Blindly, he picked up a tin can and threw it aside.

He felt a creeping chill behind him. "DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" He screamed. Hands still flaying madly for his wand. He could see a cloaked figure quickly advancing towards him. A muffled yell from Dudley signalled that there was more than one of them. His fingers suddenly brushes his wand. Throwing himself forward, he shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A silvery wisp of smoke shot from it. He shouted again, "Expecto Patronum!" More smoke. The other was bent over Dudley now, rotting hands clamped on his fat wrists.

It was then Harry heard the laughter, shrill and high pitched. "I win…" the voice whispered in his ear.

"No," he said back. "You can't."

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" And this time, a stag erupted from it, antlers hitting the Dementor squarely in the chest. Then, galloping, it hit the other one. Dudley gasped for air and slumped forward.

The streetlamps burst back into life. The mist was quickly receding. "Harry?" He panted, sweat drenched body collapsed against the wall. "Harry?" the voice said again. He turned slowly towards Dudley but he was out cold.

"Harry?" the voice said one more, clearer now. Harry looked towards the mouth of the alleyway, and there illuminated under the streetlamps, an irony in itself after everything that had just happened, stood Cedric.


End file.
